Posts tagged HAL Volendam News
After Successful Pre-Sale Period, Holland America Line Opens Bookings to the Public for 2025 Grand World Voyage and First-Ever Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole

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After Successful Pre-Sale Period, Holland America Line Opens Bookings to the Public for 2025 Grand World Voyage and First-Ever Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole

Image Source, Holland America

Seattle, Wash., May 24, 2023 — Following a successful prebooking period, Holland America Line officially opened bookings to the public today, May 24, for its two newest Grand Voyages. With the Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole and Grand World Voyage both departing in January 2025, this will be the first time that Holland America Line is offering two Grand Voyages of more than 120 days simultaneously.

The Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole aboard Volendam enables cruisers to visit five continents on a journey that travels south-to-north, while the Grand World Voyage aboard Zuiderdam covers six continents on an east-to-west route, each sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“We craft one-of-a-kind itineraries that resonate with our world voyage guests, as indicated by pre-bookings on these cruises,” said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line’s chief commercial officer. “Our team put together two amazing Grand Voyages so our guests can’t go wrong with either. We’re excited to offer two distinctly different, yet equally bucket-list itineraries.”

2025 Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole Highlights — Volendam

  • 133 days. Departing Jan. 25, 2025, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

  • Follows a south-north-south route through the Panama Canal, down along the west coast of South America to Antarctica, then up along Argentina and Brazil to the heart of the Amazon River. The ship then crosses the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, sails north to Europe and up to the North Cape before heading west across the northern Atlantic Ocean via Iceland and Greenland, and finally down the eastern shores of North America.

  • Pole to Pole: Down south Volendam spends four days of scenic cruising in Antarctica and up north the ship crosses the Arctic Circle to the North Cape.

  • 68 total ports across five continents and 28 countries.

  • 8 overnight calls: Fuerte Amador, Panama; Callao (Lima), Peru; Buenos, Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Reykjavik, Iceland.

  • Memorable Moments: Panama Canal transit, Cape Horn, Antarctica, Falkland Islands, exploring the Amazon River, Strait of Gibraltar, Norwegian fjords, North Cape, Iceland and Greenland.

2025 Grand World Voyage Highlights — Zuiderdam

  • 124 days. Departing Jan. 4, 2025, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

  • Transits the Panama Canal and makes way to Easter Island before crossing the South Pacific to Australia. Explores the Great Barrier Reef en route to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, then sails south to Cape Town, South Africa, by way of the Seychelles, back up along the eastern coast of Africa, through the Suez Canal to Portugal before crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

  • 46 total ports in 32 countries across six continents.

  • 9 overnight calls: Callao (two nights); Easter Island; Papeete, Tahiti; Sydney, Australia; Singapore; Cape Town; Mombasa, Kenya; Safaga, Egypt; and Barcelona.

  • 7 late-night departures: Manta, Ecuador; Seychelles; Cape Town and Durban, South Africa; Aqaba, Jordan; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; and Gibraltar, U.K.

  • Memorable Moments: Panama Canal transit, two nights at Callao allowing time to visit Machu Picchu, Easter Island, scenic cruising in the Great Barrier Reef, two full days in Cape Town, the opportunity to visit Petra from Jordan and experience Luxor from Safaga.

The combined Grand Voyages will feature more than 4,000 live performances, 1,400 shore excursions and 5,800 pickleball games — more than any two simultaneous voyages for Holland America Line. An infographic about the breadth and depth of the voyages can be found here.

Grand Rendezvous in Barcelona

On April 24, 2025, Volendam and Zuiderdam will meet in Barcelona, Spain, for a joint overnight call, bringing the two Grand Voyages together for a celebration. Special festivities involving both ships will mark the occasion of the perfectly planned dual visit.

Early Booking Bonus Benefits

Guests who book the full 133-day Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole or 124-day Grand World Voyage by June 3, 2024, receive onboard spending credits and amenities valued at up to $8,800 or $8,500 respectively, per person. New perks for all guests who book early feature complimentary Surf Wi-Fi package, a $500 air credit per person if booked through Flight Ease and complimentary roundtrip airport transfers.

Additional extras can include complimentary luggage delivery service to and from the Fort Lauderdale airport, prepaid crew appreciation and laundry and drycleaning service when booking certain stateroom categories. Terms and conditions apply. Visit hollandamerica.com for full details.

Cruise fares for the 2025 Grand World Voyage begin at $24,999, while cruise fares for the 2025 Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole begin at $26,399, both per person, double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are additional.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.


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Holland America Line Kicks Off 2023 Alaska Season with 150th Anniversary Welcome Events in Seattle and Vancouver

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Holland America Line Kicks Off 2023 Alaska Season with 150th Anniversary Welcome Events in Seattle and Vancouver

Eurodam and Westerdam sail roundtrip from Seattle beginning today; Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam and Volendam sail from Vancouver starting May 1

Image Source, Holland America

SEATTLE, May 1, 2023 -- Holland America Line kicked off its 2023 Alaska cruise season today with the arrival of Eurodam at Port of Seattle. Known as "Seattle's Hometown Cruise Line," Holland America Line marked the day with a welcome celebration at Pier 91 that included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Miss Washington Regan Gallo and Miss Alaska Jessica Reisinger.

To honor its 150th Anniversary, Holland America Line presented a commemorative plaque to Port of Seattle and made a donation to Seattle-based organization The Pastry Project. Fanfare on the pier also included a performance by an ensemble from the University of Washington marching band. Westerdam begins its Alaska season cruising roundtrip from Seattle Sunday, May 7, 2023.

"As the pioneer and leader in Alaska cruising, Holland America Line is excited to start the season today celebrating our 150th Anniversary in our hometown," said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line's chief commercial officer. "Not only is Holland America Line headquartered in Seattle, but it's a key homeport for our brand. With two ships based here and four more in Vancouver through September, we're ready for a robust Alaska season of cruising and cruisetours including land trips to Denali and Yukon."

Holland America Line also cruises to Alaska via Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and those sailings begin Monday, May 1, with Koningsdam. On Tuesday, May 2, the cruise line will hold a celebratory event in Vancouver on Noordam with a 150th Anniversary plaque presentation to Port of Vancouver and a donation to YWCA Crabtree Corner. Nieuw Amsterdam and Volendam sail from Vancouver this season, rounding out the six Holland America Line ships in Alaska through September.

Highlights for 2023 Seattle Cruises to Alaska:

  • Holland America Line will operate a full season out of Seattle on two ships with 48 departures and more than 97,000 guests.

  • Operationally, each ship visit directly contributes $400,000 to the local economy in provisioning (fuel, food, flowers, piano tuning, supplies), port taxes, and spending.

  • Seven-day "Alaskan Explorer" cruises sail roundtrip from Seattle aboard Eurodam and Westerdam, and include calls at Victoria, British Columbia (evening stay); and Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka, all in Alaska.

  • Holland America Line ships have been sailing from the Port of Seattle since the 1970s. In May 2002, Holland America Line began using Seattle as a home port for Alaska cruises.

Highlights for 2023 Vancouver Cruises to Alaska:

  • Holland America Line will operate a full season out of Vancouver on four ships with 75 departures and more than 158,000 guests.

  • Holland America Line offers more cruises to Alaska from Canada than any other cruise line.

  • Operationally, each ship visit also directly contributes $550,000 CND to the local economy.

  • Seven-day "Alaska Inside Passage" cruises sail roundtrip from Vancouver on Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam and Volendam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.

  • Seven-day "Glacier Discovery Northbound" and "Glacier Discovery Southbound" itineraries cruise between Whittier and Vancouver aboard Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.

  • The 14-day "Great Alaska Explorer" itinerary offers an in-depth adventure. Roundtrip from Vancouver aboard Nieuw Amsterdam (May 7) and Noordam (Sept. 17), the cruise calls at the Alaskan ports of Kodiak, Anchorage, Valdez, Sitka, Skagway and Ketchikan, and features Glacier Bay.

Highlights for All 2023 Cruises and Cruisetours to Alaska:

  • Every Alaska cruise includes a visit to one or more of Alaska's iconic glacier destinations: Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and the Twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm.

  • Holland America Line is the only cruise line with Alaska seafood certified sustainable by the Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM), so the seafood served on our Alaska cruises is fresh and certified sustainable.

  • All ships cruising in Alaska feature "Alaska Up Close," expanded onboard programming: guests can engage with an Alaska naturalist, special EXC presentations explore local topics such as Alaska's bush pilots and the famous Iditarod race, tours highlight the best of each destination, fine dining events showcase the culinary traditions of the region and cruises with Glacier Bay take on a National Park Ranger and local Huna Tlingit guides.

  • "Savor My Catch" allows guests to take a fishing shore excursion and the ship chefs prepare the bounty on board for dinner.

  • Holland America Line is the only cruise company to weave must-see sites such as Denali National Park — the centerpiece of every Cruisetour — with the unspoiled reaches of Canada's Yukon Territory.

Voted Number-One Cruise Line in Alaska by Cruise Critic and AFAR
Holland America Line was named the top pick for Alaska in the 2020 Porthole Cruise Magazine Editor-in-Chief Awards, 2020 AFAR Travelers' Choice Awards, 2019 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Destination Awards and 2019 TravelAge West Wave Awards Editor's Pick; as well as Best Itineraries in the 2019 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards, confirming its position as the number-one cruise line in Alaska by some of the world's most discerning travelers and cruise experts. Additionally, Koningsdam was voted the top mid-sized cruise ship in the 2020 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.


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Holland America Line Announces First Grand Voyage 'Pole-to-Pole' Cruise Roundtrip from the U.S.

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Holland America Line Announces First Grand Voyage 'Pole-to-Pole' Cruise Roundtrip from the U.S.

133-day Grand Voyage in 2025 spans five continents on south-to-north route including Antarctica and the Arctic Circle; offered simultaneously with 2025 Grand World Voyage

Image Source, Holland America

SEATTLE, April 20, 2023 -- Holland America Line will sail what is believed to be the first ever Grand Voyage "Pole-to-Pole" roundtrip from the United States in 2025. Details of the new 133-day sailing along with a simultaneous 124-day 2025 Grand World Voyage were announced today by President Gus Antorcha aboard Zuiderdam to Grand World Voyage guests currently sailing in the North Sea.   

With the Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole and Grand World Voyage both departing in January 2025, this will be the first time that Holland America Line is offering two Grand Voyages of more than 120 days simultaneously. The Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole aboard Volendam enables cruisers to visit five continents on a journey that travels south-to-north, while the Grand World Voyage aboard Zuiderdam covers six continents on an east-to-west route, each conveniently sailing roundtrip from a U.S. homeport.

"This will be a truly historic pair of voyages," Antorcha told guests. "Our Grand World Voyage travels east to west and our other Grands focus on one region, so designing this first-of-its-kind route that explores south to north roundtrip from the U.S. is an incredible way to allow our guests two different choices to travel across the world."

"Detailed planning went into this voyage to ensure we're visiting destinations when the weather is favorable, and we included locations that are sought after like the Amazon River, Greenland and Iceland, in addition to Antarctica and the Arctic," said Paul Grigsby, vice president for deployment and itinerary planning for Holland America Line. "We've created two voyages that linger in ports for memorable moments and several overnight stays. We even timed it so the two voyages will meet-up to share an overnight experience in Barcelona."

Starting today (April 20), travelers interested in either the 2025 Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole or 2025 Grand World Voyage can call Holland America Line's World Cruise Reservations Desk or a travel advisor to make a deposited Future Cruise Request. Guests with a deposited Future Cruise Request will get priority booking confirmation prior to the two voyages officially opening to the public May 24, 2023.

2025 Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole Highlights — Volendam

  • 133 days. Departing Jan. 25, 2025, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

  • Follows a south-north-south route through the Panama Canal, down along the west coast of South America to Antarctica, then up along Argentina and Brazil to the heart of the Amazon River. The ship then crosses the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, sails north to Europe and up to the North Cape before heading west across the northern Atlantic Ocean via Iceland and Greenland, and finally down the eastern shores of North America.

  • Pole to Pole: Down south Volendam spends four days of scenic cruising in Antarctica and up north the ship crosses the Arctic Circle to the North Cape.

  • 68 total ports across five continents and 28 countries.

  • 8 overnight calls: Fuerte Amador, Panama; Callao (Lima), Peru; Buenos, Aires, Argentina; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Reykjavik, Iceland.

  • Memorable Moments: Panama Canal transit, Cape Horn, Antarctica, Falkland Islands, exploring the Amazon River, Strait of Gibraltar, Norwegian fjords, North Cape, Iceland and Greenland.

2025 Grand World Voyage Highlights — Zuiderdam

  • 124 days. Departing Jan. 4, 2025, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.

  • Transits the Panama Canal and makes way to Easter Island before crossing the South Pacific to Australia. Explores the Great Barrier Reef en route to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, then sails south to Cape Town, South Africa, by way of the Seychelles, back up along the eastern coast of Africa, through the Suez Canal to Portugal before crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

  • 46 total ports in 32 countries across six continents.

  • 9 overnight calls: Callao (two nights); Easter Island; Papeete, Tahiti; Sydney, Australia; Singapore; Cape Town; Mombasa, Kenya; Safaga, Egypt; and Barcelona.

  • 7 late-night departures: Manta, Ecuador; Seychelles; Cape Town and Durban, South Africa; Aqaba, Jordan; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; and Gibraltar, U.K.

  • Memorable Moments: Panama Canal transit, two nights at Callao allowing time to visit Machu Picchu, Easter Island, scenic cruising in the Great Barrier Reef, two full days in Cape Town, the opportunity to visit Petra from Jordan and experience Luxor from Safaga.

Grand Rendezvous in Barcelona
On April 24, 2025, Volendam and Zuiderdam will meet in Barcelona, Spain, for a joint overnight call, bringing the two Grand Voyages together for a celebration. Special festivities involving both ships will mark the occasion of the perfectly planned dual visit.

Early Booking Bonus Benefits
Guests who book the full 133-day Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole or 124-day Grand World Voyage by June 3, 2024, receive onboard spending credits and amenities valued at up to $8,800 or $8,500 respectively, per person. New perks for all guests who book early feature complimentary Surf Wi-Fi package, a $500 air credit per person if booked through Flight Ease and complimentary roundtrip airport transfers to and from the Fort Lauderdale airport.

Additional extras can include complimentary luggage delivery service to and from the Fort Lauderdale airport, prepaid crew appreciation and laundry and drycleaning service when booking certain stateroom categories. Terms and conditions apply. Visit hollandamerica.com for full details.

A Grand Onboard Experience
On each Grand Voyage, Holland America Line ships provide gracious service, superior amenities and unexpected experiences. Guests can relax during leisurely days at sea, taking advantage of the extra time to participate in shipboard activities. Shipboard entertainment shines in the evening with local cultural performers and special guest headliners. Festive gala balls and dressy nights create memorable moments, along with a Captain's Grand Voyage Dinner. Dining is elevated to a new level on each Grand Voyage with menus that change daily and are seldom repeated, featuring local ingredients and regional cuisine.

Guests who want to make a Future Cruise Request for a stateroom on the 2025 Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole or 2025 Grand World Voyage can contact their travel advisor or call World Cruise Reservations: 1-800-522-3399.


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